Speaker Series: The life and times of Neal Carter

In conjunction with our current temporary exhibit showcasing photographs from the historic 1923 Carter-Townsend Mountaineering exhibition, this event will showcase the life & times of Neal Carter. For nearly half a century, Neal Carter explored the vast Coast Mountain wilderness. garnering dozens of first ascents. and discovering up whole regions of unexplored backcountry for the enjoyment of future generations.

More than just a climber, Neal Carter also had a wide-ranging professional career in hydrology, cartography, marine biology, and geographical nomenclature. We are extremely fortunate to have none other than Karl Ricker, a local legend in his own right who knew Neal Carter personally, speaking about Carter’s wide-ranging personal and professional accomplishments.

From the Carter Collection: The view south from Wedge to our familiar W-B backcountry.: (l to r) Overlord, Pattison, Davidson, Castle Towers, and Decker.

Karl’s talk will be followed by a presentation by Whistler Museum Programs Manager Jeff Slack, showcasing a selection of gorgeous photographs from Neal Carter’s 1923 mountaineering expedition in Garibaldi Park, adding stories and context along the way.

As a bonus, we will also be screening a compilation of Neal Carter’s home videos from several other pioneering mountain expeditions throughout the Coast Mountains. This video was recently made available to us by Neal Carter’s daughter, Louise Schmidt, and has never been screened publicly.

On-line exhibits

Blogroll

“THERE'S BEEN BROKEN SKIS, CONCUSSIONS, SOME GOOD RAPPELLING ACTION, SPELUNKING. MORE THAN A FEW PEOPLE UP TO THEIR NECKS IN PONDS. YOU KNOW, PEOPLE... TAKING THE SPORT TO PLACES IT WAS NEVER MEANT TO BE.”